


Two Times Is Enough.

by MoonAndShadows



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M, On-Again/Off-Again Relationship, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-06-30 09:37:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19850449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonAndShadows/pseuds/MoonAndShadows
Summary: How many times does Bruce have to watch Jerome Die? Let that giggling fool slip through his fingers and have him put six feet under. Metaphorically, since the only reason he's alive is the fact he's never been buried after dying. He's so glad to see him again but sometimes Bruce doesn't get to have things his way.





	1. Chapter 1

"No, die." Jerome says with a twisted grin and points a gun at the offending police officer. He's terribly bored. Batsy hasn't arrived yet to the scene. This is the first major crime he's pulled since escaping Arkham again. It feels good.

Jeremiah was a good substitute for a while till he was resurrected again. That was a wild TWIST! A big Bang! To come back from the dead twice isn't something just anyone can do. He took his rightful place as the joker and well Jeremiah...he was a copy. A mere printer error. He goes by the title of The Jokester. Its kinda sad how much he tries to copy Jerome. 

Jerome has been very good at avoiding Brucie. He wouldn't say he's trying to forget his past love interest. no, not at all. He's just keeping a distance. Their last interactions weren't amazing. Like a psychotic dance. It ended with Jerome basically committing suicide. To be bloody honest he doesn't know how he came back. 

Him and bruce had something soft and sweet back in his circus days. Before he killed his mom. It survived even that though. But slowly it got more twisted. Then Arkham happened, and Maniax. Slowly more and more distance got put between them. 

Now, he's got Batsy. They dance just as fiercely. Have just as much chemistry. He misses Bruce every day, but he's certain that the billionaire has moved on. Jerome can't help but laugh loudly as the police officers fall around him. 

He cackles and waits. He's aiming currency for non vital organs and body parts. The pale clown is getting impatient though. He's sick of waiting. Then he hears two leather clad boots land behind him and he swirls around.

"Miss me, Batsy? I've been doing petty crime here and there. Wasn't enough. Got the attention of the police. Got the attention of other criminals. You gonna throw me back in Arkham? Hahaha! I had barely been alive a week and you threw me in there the first time." Jerome smiles sadistically and reaches out for Batman. 

"You couldn't be good for even a week. Couldn't lay low, contact loved ones, rest, couldn't just be good. That's why I put you in Arkham." His voice is low. There is a hesitation to it as if he's not sure if he wants to talk to Joker or not. 

Joker laughs wildly and looks at him with clear eyes. An insane man's eyes shouldn't be this clear. "loved ones? Do you mean Jokester? Or maybe a seance for my dead mother?" His eyes narrow but then a shot rings out through the air and Jerome falls forward. He continues laughing.

"Hahaha...didn't expect to go out so quickly." Jerome looks at him with trembling hands and reaches out. He's still a bit taller than Bruce. Tall and lanky. Bruce has filled out and gotten muscular.

Bruce instantly applies pressure to the wound and carries off to his motorcycle that's hidden in the ally not to far away. "Don't you dare pass out on me, J. I'm not fucking losing you again. I'll throw your skinny ass back in Arkham before I let you die. Please, stay with me. Jerome, please." 

Jerome feels fuzzy. Like he's floating on a soft and warm cloud. He can his insides being held together by something firm and stable. He hears his Brucie Talking to him in that frantic tone he gets when Jerome is in over his head. Jerome tries to let him know that he's never in over his head. That joker's are a wildcard and best part of any deck. That he'll be ok.

"I'm…k...ok..sshh..ok..it's ok, brucie..don't worry. I'm fine. Don't worry..hahaha.. I'm always..fiiine.." Jerome slurs out between breaths as bruce drives them back to one of his batcaves. The one not attached to Wayne manor.

Bruce sets him down on a couch. And starts to undress him to get to the wound. He gets the first aid kit. Luckily the bullet didn't hit anything important and it came out the other side. Jerome will survive like always. 


	2. Walk On That Thin Rope, Brother.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Didn't expect to continue it but here's more.

Jerome woke up on Batman's couch to see the masked dark knight sleeping in a chair close by him. Had the hero fallen asleep watching him? His mind is reeling with ideas. His hands itching to take off that mask but also frightened to see what's underneath.

Jerome slowly moves to sit up and winces. He realizes he's shirtless with his pants unzipped probably to get to the wound easily. He's still mostly dressed. He's shocked that Batman completely bandaged him up. Green eyes flicker completely open and meet the blue ones behind the mask. Are they blue? All he can see is white, Batman's true eye color is obscured by the mask. 

"Lay back down, Jerome. You're still hurt." The Bat's deep voice vibrates in Jokers core and he wants to laugh this off. Get up, leave. He shouldn't be calling him by his name. He's the Joker in this relationship they have. 

"I'm all better, Batsy. I'm gonna head out. Thanks for taking care of me, Darling~" Joker moves to stand up and Bruce pushes him back down. "Kinky, Batsy."

"Let me give you a ride to your hideout." He realizes the faws in his statement the moment it comes out of his mouth but he's not going to back down. 

"You seem serious about this. I'll let you drive me to a halfway point, from there harley will pick me up. Since Harley can't come here for obvious reasons. But you'll need to give me something in return, my Dear Bat." The killer clown's smile is turning mischievous. 

"As long as it isn't illegal in any way I'll do what you want." Bruce looks at him softly and turns towards him. 

Jerome pats his lap "Come here, Batsy. Take a seat." Bruce hesitates mainly because of Jerome recently being shot but he knows he can't get him home to safely rest unless he listens.

Bruce straddles his lap and is careful not to apply pressure to the gunshot wound. He places his hands on his shoulders. "What would you like me to do, Jerome…?" One of his hands moves to Jerome's neck to tangle itself in green curls. 

"Just one kiss, Batsy. Then you can take me to the halfway point." His smile twists into a smirk and he holds the slightly shorter man's leather clad hips.

Bruce leans in and angles his face in such a way that his mask won't get in the way of the kiss. This is a feeling he's missed, kissing Jerome. The Bruce part of him is quite Jealous that he's doing this as Batman. 

Jerome wastes no time taking control of the kiss. squeezing Bruce's hips and biting his lip just enough to draw a bit of blood. Bruce moans lowly and takes that moment to slip his tongue into Jerome's mouth since he's pretty sure that's why the clown bit him. 

They make out like this for a while, eventually escalating to grinding before Bruce pulls back panting softly. "We gotta stop, J." He keeps that Batman voice on just barely. Its hard. 

"Fine, because I may be a murderer but I'm no rapist. But two things, Batsy. One, you don't get to call me 'J' only one person calls me that. Two, I know you want me to fuck you, why are you stopping me?" His tone is low and threatening. 

"Because you should be with Bruce Wayne. Go home. Call him." Bruce gets off his lap and moves away.

Joker feels his last ounce of control slip. He growls and pushes himself off the couch as well. "I'm taking myself home."

"Jerome-"

"It's Joker! Learn it." Jerome laughs lowly. "Why are you playing Cupid for me and Brucie when i know you want me for yourself? I don't get it? What's he got on you? What's the leverage?" 

"Do you not love him anymore?" The question is blunt and Joker swears he can hear sadness in that deep voice if his.

"Why! Whywhywhywhy!!! Ahg! Damn you annoying little bat! What answer do you want? That I'm avoiding him because of all the trouble I caused after I killed my mom and died twice!? That I can't look him in the eye because I'm a killer zombie clown and he's the angelic billionaire prince of Gotham?? Or do you want me to look at you and say that I love him, hell I love him so much i would die a third time." Joker hisses and throws up his hands before glaring at Bruce. 

"Then be with him, Jerome. Tell him all of that." Batman says softly in that gravel rough voice of his. 

"You don't get it, do you? I got you, Batsy. I'm letting him move on. I caused him a lot of heartache and pain… I'm moving on. I want you. Stop pushing me away." Jerome sighs and runs his fingers through his green curls.

"You'd be better off with him then me. Now let me take you home. I gave you what you want. Hold up your end of the deal." Bruce's voice has become cold. 

that's it then. Jerome gives in and lets Batman take him to the halfway point. Harley seems a little annoyed with the whole situation.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


A couple days have passed since that encounter with Batsy and now he's sitting in Scarecrow's hideout across from his brother. It's not an ideal situation.

"You're walking a tightrope, J." Jeremiah says as he sits with his twin brother. They stay a distance apart. He's using a childhood nickname to keep his brother happy hopefully. They are always at each other's throats these days. The thing they usually argue about is Batman or Bruce Wayne.

Jerome cackles and sips his wine. His lipstick not even smearing a bit. His twin is in full joker get up as well. They look slightly different though. Jerome has been trying to talk his brother into dying his hair green. The contacts and colored hair spray just isn't authentic. Just like Jeremiah to half copying Jerome.

"But I was always good at the tightrope, Jere. When those Graysons would actually let me use it. I loved the danger and feeling like I could fly! Haha! But explain further, brother dear." Jerome hums and rolls his eyes. 

"You have made the criminals of Gotham your friends every time you come back to life, a feat I cannot achieve. You died twice, the second time I saw criminals and rogues mourn the loss. Some heroes even had to stop and wonder if it was a good day if Jerome Valeska was dead. When you came back again, it was a shock….a lot had changed. And-" Jeremiah sighs as he gets cut off by his brother yawning.

"You are boring me, Jere. Come on!! Get to the tightrope! Circus references, jokes, Anything but this annoying chatter from you. You are so fucking boring, you know that? Cut to the chase." Jerome runs his fingers through his messy green hair as he talks. 

There's a shuffle from the office space in the hideout. They are making quite a lot of noise near Jonathan's work area. The lanky master of fear emerges with a pile of papers and notes. He has bags under his eyes. His brown hair is a mess and he desperately needs a shave. 

Jeremiah looks up at him "Moving to your workshop in the basement, love?" He gets a kiss on the forehead and a "hmmm...Darlin" in response.

Jeremiah sighs before calling after his retreating boyfriend "I expect you to shower, shave, and sleep tonight."

Jonathan responds one last time before disappearing into the basement. "The three S's got it, Darlin...just after a few more tests." Then the door closes and the twins are left alone. 

"I will never get use to you two! Honestly thought him and Tetch were going to get together. Plot twist!!" Jerome laughs loudly. 

Jeremiah smiles and chuckles. "Back to you being the worst tightrope walking in the world, J. It's a little important...now that I'm less blocked by past emotions."

"Do him and Tetch keep in touch? You might wanna watch out, broski. Tetch gets a little possessive of his possessions." Then the crazier clown breaks out in a manic laugh. 

Jeremiah's nails dig into his thighs and bites his lip before laughing himself. He laughs and laughs till tears come to his eyes. Then out of nowhere he stabs beside Jerome's hand. 

"Listen! Listen close, I'm trying to be nice. Don't talk about Jonathan like that, it makes me get a bit testy. Now let me talk about the Tightrope, I'll explain it in a way you can understand. Ok, J?" His eyes are wild but still that soft brown. They are fogged by rage, jealousy, maybe even pity. 

Jerome rolls his eyes and nods "I'm all ears but if you keep calling me 'J' I may put a bullet in your brain before we can finish this lovely talk. No one calls me that anymore." He's still giggling a bit.

Jeremiah laughs sadistically "no killing on Jonathan's Terf, remember?" He pulls out the knife and sighs. 

"You're on this tightrope and its strung between two buildings. Underneath is reality. On one side is Bruce Wayne then on the other is Gotham's one and only dark Knight, Batman. Eventually one of them is going to push you down. You can't keep walking on this flimsy rope...do you understand, Jerome? I know your life is a performance. But I don't want your performance to end with you to end spattered at the bottom of a building again…." Jeremiah tries to gage Jerome's reaction. Tries to see what is going on in his head. Soft brown eyes meet clear green.

"Did Bruce put you up to this? Did...did he...is he?" Jerome smiles widely. His expression bordering on snapping. 

Jeremiah shakes his head "no, but the boy billionaire has been doing everything in his power to get in contact with you. He visited me in Arkham...not for me...but to ask me about you. That's when I finally gave up chasing after him. He is even talking to the Bat about you. You should talk to him. Even if its just to say you're done with him." He stands up. 

"That's all I had to say. Now, kindly fuck off. To be honest you put me on edge, even if you are kinda friends with Jonathan." Jeremiah walks away to the basement. 

Jerome laughs loudly as he leaves. He is trying to process this. Oh Brucie, why are you trying so hard? 

**Author's Note:**

> I might do another chapter to this and I have more DC and Gotham Fanfics for the future. I also plan on continuing my long term fanfic that's on hiatus. I'm just a mess. (@^@)🖤


End file.
